View finder control



Jan. 21-, 1941.

L. E. WHITTAKER VIEW FINDER CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1938 Jan. 21, 1941. L a W I KER 2,229,151

VIEW FINDE R CONTROL Filed Jan. 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1941.

L E. WH| TTAKER vmw FINDER com-nor.

Filed Jan. 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 21, 1941.

E. WHITTAKER VIEW FINDER CONTROL Filed Jan. 12', 1938 55heets-Sheat 4 Mme? Jan. 21, 1941. L. E. WHITTAKER VIEW FINDER CONTROL Patented Jan. 21', 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,229,157 vmw FINDER coN'raoL Application January 12, 1938, Serial No. 184,546 6 Claims. '(CI. 88-16) This invention deals with remote control arrangements for photographic apparatus, and more particularly with a control transmission between the enclosure of a motion picture cam- 5 era and the view finder movement of the camera.

Some of the principal objects of the invention are to provide accurate mechanical connection between a controlling device and a controlled device on relatively moving parts of photographic l apparatus, which connection suppresses for practical purposes any transmission of sound or un- 25 Fig. 2 is a plan view of such a camera with the blimp and lens hood in horizontal section;

Fig. 3 is a section on lines 3-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 4'- is a section similar to Fig. 4, showing 30 a knob for direct control;

Fig. 5 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 4; Fig. 6'is an isometric view of the upper part of the transmission linkage;

Fig. 7 is a section on the lines 1-! of Fig. 6; as Fig. 8 is a section on lines H of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an isometric view of one-half of the transmission link;

Fig. 10 is a diagram of the manner in which the transmission wire is wound on its pulleys; 40 and Fig. 11 is a section on lines Il-ll of Fig. 6. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and3, C is a camera housing carrying camera lens 0G with hood 8|. Attached to the camera housing at 4 is a view 45 finder base BF carrying a view finder lens FC. As shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, view finder base BF consists of a cast frame or box I from which extends downwardly a mirror support having an inclined wall ll upon which reflector 50 R2 is mounted (Fig. 3). Screwed to the top, of box I is a prism support 3 having an upwardly extending frame 4. Integral with box I is the above-mentioned mounting flange I having split dovetails I (Fig. 2) adapted to en age the cor- 55 respondingly-shaped flange ll of camera 0. By

means of screws l2, the dovetails can be rigidly clamped together.

A bracket I6 is screwed to the front face of mirror extension 2 of box I (Figs. 4, 5), the top face of bracket l8 being provided with a dove- 5 tailed groove l'l Fig. 4).

A lens support frame or'drawer 2| slides within box i- (Fig. 5); supporting view finder lenses VLI and VL2 which can be removed from box I by means of knob 22. The flat upper surface 1i) of lens VLI forms a screen S above which a matte M slides in suitable guides.

Frame 4 (Figs. 4 and 5) has grooves 26 guiding a shield 21 having a circular opening surrounded by sleeve 28. Shield 21 extends far enough beyond either side of frame 4 to exclude light from the window of the latter if it slides to the right or left.

Dovetail groove ll of bracket i6 (Figs. 4 and 5) supports a correspondlngly'machined intermego -diate slide 31 which has at its top a dovetail 33 of similar shape but at right angles to lower dovetail 32. With dovetails 34, a master mount tube 35 moves laterally upon dovetails 33 of slide 3 I. I Sleeve 28 extends into the interior of mount 35 and it will be evident that shield 2! following the lateral movement of mount 35 and sleeve 28, and the overlapping portions of mount and sleeve, form a light seal between the compartment containing prism P and the lens mount 35. 30 View finder objectives VO can be inserted into mount 35, secured against rotation by catch 31 (Fig. 4).

A shaft- 4| (Fig. 4) is journaled in slide ii, at right angles to the optical axis of the objectives. 35 By means of key and keyway arrangement 42 (Fig. 4), shaft 4| slides within worm 42 which is secured against axial movement by suitable shoulders of slide 3i. Fixed to shaft 4| A are two cams 44, 45 and a collar 46. Likewise fastened to shaft 4lare a scale drum 5! and sleeve 52. At the other end, shaft 4| has three circumferentially grooved portions 53, 54, 55 selectively engaged by catch 58 pressed towards the shaft by spring 51. Upon pressing the outer end of catch 56 upwardly, the shaft is released and can be moved axially. In this manner either of cams 44 or 45, or collar 48, can be moved opposite a finger 6|, adiustably secured to bracket IS. A helical spring 82 (Fig. 5) presses slide 3| 5 and with it the cams against'stop OI. Y

It will now be evident that, pon rotating shaft 4|, one of thecams will move slide 3| relatively to bracket I! with gr'oove l1 while, at the same time, worm 43 moves lens mount 35 relatively to slide 8|, at right angles to the optical axis of lens V0. As described at length in copending application Serial No. 143,308, filed May 18, 1937, the lateral (worm) movement compensates the parallax-between camera and view finder images, and the axial (cam) movement takes care of the focus adjustment. By suitably dimensioning the cams with respect to the worm pitch, a given ratio between parallax compensation and focusing movement can be determined.

Mattes corresponding to the finder objectives and cams, respectively, and to each camera lens of two groups of such lenses used with a respective finder objective, are provided and can be conveniently inserted in finder block I, as shown in Fig. 5.

Viewing elements for deflecting the finder beam into a direction parallel to the camera axis are preferably mounted on the blimp wall next to the basic view finder unit on the camera, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In these figures, IOI is the blimp housing with side wall I82 into which is set a door I83. Door I83 hasv an insert I84 in which viewing lens VL3 is mounted and which has on the outside grooves into which a blimp mirror box BB can be inserted. Mounted within this box are reflectors R3 and R4 in the manner indicated in Fig. 1, and a viewing hood BH excludes stray light.

It will be observed that lens VL3 serves at the same time as enlarging and as sound excluding element, an arrangement which reduces to a minimum the elements necessary for successful operation. Further, there is no mechanical sound conveying connection between the basic finder unit on the camera and the viewing elements on the blimp; this arrangement is acoustically satisfactory and permits mounting of the optically critical finder elements on the camera.

Referring now especially to Fig. 4, fixed to sleeve 82 is a pulley 85, so that rotatory motion will be transmitted from this pulley through sleeve 52, pin- II and drum 5| to shaft 4|. Mount-' ed on sleeve 52 by means of ball bearings 88 is a double eye piece 81 to which are screwed rod links 88, 88 preferably made of non-metallic sound-absorbing material, as fiber or niicarta,

and having cut-outs 88 (Figs. 3 and 6), which likewise reduce sound transmission through these links. Screwed to the other ends of links 88, 88 is a second double eye piece 8| (Figs. 6 and 11) supporting a ball bearing 82 wherein rotates the shaft 83 of a double pulley 84. Engaging the outer ring of ball bearing 82, similar to eye piece 8|, is arranged a pivot piece III secured in place by means of two cover plates I I2, I I3 screwed thereto. It will be evident that this arrangement permits relative rotatory movement of eye piece 8|, pulley 84 and pivot piece III. Screwed into the female thread of extension sleeve H4 and secured therein by nut II 5, is a connecting turnbuckle shaft II8 having opposite threads on its respective ends and in the middle 9. hole III by.

means of ;-which it can be turned for adjusting it.

I28, is a dial ring I2'I, a corresponding indicator I28, I28 being secured to knob I24.

Secured within housing I28 by means of rubber sleeves I3I, I32 and mounting ring I33 is a control shaft housing I34 within which is rotatably supported a bearing housing I35, and screwed thereto a safety stop housing I38. A control shaft I4I rotates in ball bearings I42, I43 distanced by sleeve I44, and has at one end a ridge I45 dimensioned for engagement with the slot of fiber collar I23, above described. To the other end of shaft MI is fixed a pulley I48 carrying a pin I41.

A stop disk I5I on shaft I52 rotates in journal sleeve I53 of housing I38, being secured against longitudinal movement by collar I54 pinned to shaft I52. Disk I5I has a safety stop pin I58 which extends on one side into the path of pin I41 and on the other side into a slot I55 of housing I38. Slot I55 is long enough to permit pin I58 to rotate around the drive axis to such an extent. that pulley I48 with pin I41 are permitted to perform a full turn, this construction compensating for the thickness of the two pins.

The above-described shaft H8 is screwed into the female thread of extension I8| of bearing housing I35. This extension is shaped to form a fiange sector I82 (Fig. 6) to which is screwed a mounting sector I83 which secures bearing housing I35 against longitudinal movement relatively to control shaft housing I34.

A piano wire III is wound around pulleys I48, 84 and 85, as indicated in Fig. 10.

It will now. be evident that rotation of knob I24 turns pulley I48 and that this movement is transmitted through wire III and pulleys 84 and 85 to shaft 4| which again rotates worm 43 effecting axial and lateral adjustment of finder lens V0, as above described. Due to the articulated connection between sleeve 52 and eye piece 8!, eye piece 8| and pivot piece III, and bearing housing I35 and control shaft housing I34, the transmission link can easily follow the axial focusing movement of the finder lens. As de scribed above, different focusing movements are obtained by shifting shaft 4| along its axis, by means of knob 8|.

The tension of the piano wire canbe adjusted by loosening nut I I5 and rotating shaft 8 in the appropriate direction.

Indicators I28 and I28 and two corresponding dial gradations on disk I2I (Fig. 3) correspond to different settings of shaft 4|, as above described.

The sound dampening elements comprising arms 88, 88. rubber sleeves I3I and I82 and fiber collar I23, effectively prevent any sound transmission from the camera to the 'f blimp. there being no direct metallic contact between any elements intermediate these parts; fiber arms 88, 88 constitute an acoustic filter eliminating any vibrations that might be transmitted as far as'intermediate pulley 84. 5

In operating the camera view finder by means of the control device according to my invention, knob I24 is rotated by reading the focusing data on scales I21. The linkage transmits this'mtatory movement to pulley 85, as above described, following the focusing and parallax compensating movements of the view finder lens due. to articulation about the axes of the three pulleys. When the camera and view finder lenses are changed, the appropriate cam of shaft 4| is shifted into operative position by means of knob 8| and stop 58 (Fig. 4) the transmission link fol-,

lowing this movement due to the rotatory movement of linkage shaft H6, as above described when referring to the parallax adjustment of the view finder lens.

when it is desired to use the camera without blimp, by unscrewing knob 8| whereupon sleeve 52 can be easily removed from drum SI and replaced by a sleeve 52 having a knob for direct operation, as shown in Fig. 4*.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising apparatus confining means, an optical system, means to mount said system on said confining means for adjustment relatively thereto in axial and in lateral directions, means for controlling said mounting means secured thereon for movement with said optical system, means for actuating said controlling means mounted on said confining means, ,and a universal link between said controlling means and said actuating means for transmitting motion therebetween.

2. A device or the character described comprising apparatus confining means. an optical system, means to mount said system on said confining means for sliding motion relatively thereto in axial and in lateral directions, means for controlling said mounting means secured thereon for movement with said optical system and rotation relatively thereto, means for actuating said controlling means rotatably mounted on said confining means, and a universal link betweensaid controlling means and said actuating means for transmitting rotatory motion from said actuating means to said controlling means.

3. A device or the character described comprising photographic apparatus, a sound absorbing housing for said apparatus, mounted on said a paratus for adjustment relatively thereto, means ifor controlling said adjustment moving with said optical system, means ior actuating said controlling means mounted on said housing, and a link for transmitting motion from said actuating means to said controlling means. said link including a wire and pulley drive and pulley support means or sound dampening material for limiting sound on between said apparatus and said housing.

4. A device of the character described ing apparatus confining means. an optical system the linkage can be conveniently detached mounted on said confining means for sliding motion relatively thereto, means for controlling said sliding motion moving with said optical system and rotating relatively thereto, means for actuating said controlling means rotatably mounted on said confining means, a pulley fastened to said controlling means, a pulley fastened to said actuating means, two link members one rotatably connected to said controlling means and the other rotatably connected to said actuating means and the two members connected to form an articu-. lated joint, a pulley at said joint, and a belt transmission connecting said pulleys.

5. A device of the character described comprising an apparatus housing, an optical system mounted on said housing for sliding adjustment relatively thereto, means for controlling said sliding adjustment moving with said optical system and rotating relatively thereto, means for actuating said controlling means rotatably mounted on said housing, and a link between said optical system and said housing for transmitting rotatory motion therebetween while yielding to variations of position of said system and said housing, said link including an articulated support of sound dampening material and mounted on said support a belt drive from said actuating means to said controlling means.

6. A device the character described comprising a photographic camera; a view finder lens mounted on said camera for movement relative y to said camera; a drive for moving said lens controlled by a pulley moving with the lens; a sound dampening housing substantially enclosing said camera; actuating means mounted on said housing including a second pulley, control means for rotating said pulley, and means indicating the position of said pulley; a link one end of which is mounted for rotation about the axis of said first pulley; a second link one end of which is mounted for rotation about the axis of said second pulley;.

means forming a rotatory joint of the free ends of said links and including a third pulley moimted for rotation about the axis of said joint, at least one of said links being adjustable regarding its length and at least one or said links being constructed to suppress sound on; and a wire trained over-said pulleys to transmit movement from said co trol means to said drive. the tensionof saidwire beingregulatedbysaidadiustment of the length of one of said links and remaining substantially constant upon relative movement of said lens and said housing due to the constant combined length or said Joined links.

LLOYH) E. WHITAKER. 

